Insight

6 reasons to look for a job before you need one

A lot of people make the mistake of waiting until they want or need a new role before looking for one. While this may seem sensible, it is not the best approach if you want to remain engaged and happy at work and want to avoid gaps between roles. To get the best results you should consider keeping a constant eye on what jobs are available and with which companies.

Here are our six reasons to look for a job before you need one:

1. You will be less likely to apply for roles that aren’t appropriate

Applying for jobs that aren’t perfect for you and for which you aren’t perfect is a waste of time. If the job is not right you will soon end up moving jobs again and will be unhappy in your role for as long as you stay. If you’re not right for the role, you’re going to waste a lot of time applying for a job that you almost definitely won’t get. Keeping an eye on which jobs are available, even when you’re not thinking of changing jobs, means that you can be more selective about which roles you apply for.

2. You may be tempted to accept a poor remuneration package

When you are desperate to leave your current role you are more likely to undersell yourself. Accepting a lower wage or inferior benefits package just because you are desperate to move on is very common. The outcome is that more often than not people will change jobs again very quickly. Applying for a new role before you feel you need to or want to change means that you will be less likely to accept a bad deal because there is less pressure to move.

3. You may come over too keen in interviews

Much like when you are on a date, in an interview you want to come across as keen but not desperate. If you don’t feel that you need to move jobs, you will be a lot more relaxed and much less likely to come across as desperate. Being more relaxed will also increase the likelihood of you remaining calm and composed throughout the interview.

4. You can keep an eye out for your perfect role

It is statistically very unlikely that your perfect role will be available while you’re job hunting. The more time you spend looking, the more likely it is that your perfect job will become available. However, if you want to move jobs you probably don’t want to wait around too long before applying for something. Continually keeping an eye on what is available means that you won’t miss your perfect role when it arises.

5. You can keep track of market trends

Even if you don’t apply for a new role, knowing what salaries are being offering for your role or roles that you may be interested in is always useful. This information can be used in promotion and salary negotiations or could influence your decision to move on if you feel you are being underpaid. In addition, knowing what skills and experience are in demand means that you can improve your CV in those areas by taking on projects or undertaking some training.

6. If the worst happens, it pays to be prepared

The market has recovered a lot since the market crash of 2008 and the huge cuts that followed. That’s not to say that redundancies are a thing of the past. Should the worst happen, being in touch with recruitment companies and having an idea of what is available could give you the edge and minimise your time out of work.

Job hunting can be a long and arduous process. Looking for a new role when you are ready to move on from your current role leads to frustrations as it invariably takes longer that you want it to. For that reason we encourage you to keep an eye on the market and act as if you were looking for a new job even if you’re not. Whether you are thinking of changing jobs or just want to talk about your options, Vine Resources’ expert consultants are just a phone call away and always happy to help.

Charlie has 3 years experience in digital marketing, helping B2B technology companies grow their businesses through inbound marketing before joining Vine Resources as Content Marketing Manager. In his spare time, Charlie enjoys travelling and the great outdoors, and he recently hiked from Mexico to Canada for charity.